Hezbollah fired 2,000 missiles, rockets, and drones at Israeli civilians in last two weeks: Gideon Saar

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Tuesday termed the Joint Statement issued by the leaders of Canada France Germany Italy and the United Kingdom amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah as a distorted view of realityAs reported by news agency IANS Earlier in the day leaders of the five countries issued a joint statement highlighting their grave concern over the escalating violence in Lebanon and calling for immediate deescalation and meaningful engagement by Israeli and Lebanese representatives to negotiate a sustainable political solution as per IANSJoint Statement says that Hezbollahs attacks on Israeli civilians must stopHezbollahs attacks on Israel and the targeting of civilians must cease and they must disarm We condemn Hezbollahrsquos decision to join Iran in hostilities which further jeopardises regional peace and security We condemn attacks directed at civilians civilian infrastructure health workers and infrastructure as well as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon These actions are unacceptable and we call on all parties to act in accordance with international humanitarian law the Joint Statement read according to IANSA significant Israeli ground offensive would have devastating humanitarian consequences and could lead to a protracted conflict It must be averted The humanitarian situation in Lebanon including ongoing mass displacement is already deeply alarming We reiterate our call for the full implementation of UNSC Resolution 1701 by all parties and support the efforts of the Government of Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah prohibit Hezbollahrsquos military activities and curb their armed hostilities We stand in solidarity with the Lebanese government and people who have been unwillingly drawn into conflict it addedHowever Saar labelled it as a distorted view of reality highlighting that Israelis have been attacked unprovoked from Lebanese territory by Hezbollah since October 8 2023Israel slams critics cites Hezbollah attacks on Israeli civiliansThe Israeli FM also questioned These are the same Israelis who for an entire year were forced to leave their homes due to relentless Hezbollah fire yet the statement ignores their suffering In the last two weeks Hezbollah has fired approximately 2000 missiles rockets and drones at Israeli civilians Would the citizens of the countries that signed this statement agree to live under such terror If these democracies were attacked in this way would they accept a distorted symmetry between all parties equating a democratic state defending its citizens with a terror organization that has taken control over a neighbouring state as cited by IANSThe statement includes no demand on the Lebanese government to stop the fire on Israel or even to remove Hezbollah ministers from the government The Lebanese government failed to disarm Hezbollah and now it must take steps to immediately stop the firing towards Israel he further addedThe Israel Defence Forces IDF said on Sunday that it has conducted a wave of strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure across LebanonThe Israeli Army struck launch sites in the AlQatrani area in southern Lebanon from which Hezbollah militants planned to launch rockets imminently the IDF said in a statement reported IANSIt noted that the IDF also dismantled Hezbollah elite Radwan Force command centres in Beirut from which militants allegedly launched attacks on Israel Xinhua news agency reportedIsraeli army issued immediate evacuation in the Lebanese capitalAs per IANS the Israeli army also issued immediate forced evacuation orders for residents in several neighbourhoods in the Lebanese capitalIn a statement Israeli Army Spokesman Avichay Adraee urged residents of Haret Hreik Ghobeiry Laylaki Hadath Burj alBarajneh Tahwitat alGhadir and Shiyah to leave immediately and not to return until further notice the Anadolu news agency reportedHe said the Israeli army would forcefully operate in these areas citing what he called Hezbollah activities in the neighbourhoodsAdraee threatened to target anyone present near Hezbollah facilities personnel or military equipment in those locationsHezbollah said on Sunday it was also targeting several Israeli troop positions in villages close to the border reported IANSInputs from IANS